Clothes washing machine with bleaching agent dispenser



T. H. OLDING Jan. 21, 1964 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE WITH BLEACHING AGENT DISPENSER Filed Jan. 4, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

TRANS MISSION INVENTOR.

T/IWNA 5 /1 OLF/l'I/G W I 4% ATTORNEY Jan. 21, 1964 T. H. OLDING 3,118,297

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE WITH BLEACHING AGENT DISPENSER Filed Jan. 4, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

THOMAS H. OLD/N6 ATTORNE V T. H. OLDING Jan. 21, 1964 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE WITH BLEACHING AGENT DISPENSER Filed Jan. 4, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m OE IN V EN TOR.

7'H 0/"IA 5 H. UL 001/ e ATTCRN E Y United States Patent 3,118,27 CLGTHES WASHING MACHINE WITH BLEACHING AGENT DISPENSER Thomas H. Siding, Cincinnati, Chic, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to Hupp Corporation, Cleveland, Dino, a

corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 159 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-297) This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines, and more particularly to a bleach dispenser therefor.

In introducing a bleaching agent into clothes washing apparatus, it is important that the strength of the agent be sufficiently diluted before the bleaching agent comes in contact with the clothes. In automatic washers, wherein the clothes are introduced into an empty tub, which is then filled automatically following which the washing cycle commences, the introduction of a bleaching agent into the tub prior to its being filled with water is highly undesirable. \Vhile timer controlled devices have been proposed to cause the introduction of a bleach-at the proper time, thus rendering the operation automatic, such devices include additional circuits and do not necessarily assure that the tub will be filled with water, when the automatic addition of the bleaching agent takes place.

The present invention is directed to a provision for introducing a bleaching agent into a clothes washing machine, at the time of loading the machine with laundry, and assuring that such bleaching agent will not reach the laundry, until after the clothes containing tub is filled with water, and in addition until such bleaching agent has been sufficiently diluted from its full strength so as to afford double protection against the bleaching agent reaching the laundry in an undiluted state. The invention employes no special circuits, or timer controls, and requires but a simple bleach fill spout for its accomplishment in automatic washers of the type to which it is adapted.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyin g drawings. It is expressly understood that the rawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view through a vertical axis washer;

FIGURE 2. is a diagrammatic top plan view of the washer;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 or" FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a control circuit diagram; and

FIGURE 5 is a time sequence diagram.

in the drawings, there is shown diagrammatically a vertical axis automatic washer of the agitator centrifugal extractor type comprising an outer cabinet 29' having a top deck 22, with a control housing backsplash 24. The top deck has a centrally located substantially square depressed recess 2-5, for receiving a hinged access lid or cover 23, the depressed recess having a large circular opening 3i overlying the open upper end of the centrifugal extractor wash tube 32. The wash tube 32 is located within a stationary outer splash tub 34, and is supported from and above a motor driven transmission 36, having the usual agitator and centrifuge drives 33 and 4t and a reversible drive motor 42. A transmission of this character is shown in Plannery #636,706, filed I an. 28, 1957, now Patent No. 2,977,446. In that application, operation of the motor in one direction or the other, effects agitation for washing, or tub rotation for centrifugal extraction.

The upper rim of the outer tub is provided with an annular gasket 44 adapted to bear against the under surface of the deck. Water, hot, cold or mixed, as desired is introduced into the wash tub through an inlet nozzle 46 directed over the rim and toward the side of the wash tub 32 and hot and cold control valves 48 and 50 respectively operated by their respective solenoids are provided in the hot and cold supply lines.

The inner tub 32 is provided with an annular row of overflow a ertures 54-, and an agitator 56. In the bottom of the outer tub, there is provided a water pressure switch 58, of the single pole double throw type, actuated to one position by water reaching a level of several inches in the outer tub 3- and to the other position when the tub is empty.

The motor 42 drives centrifugal pumps 6% and 62, which are of the unidirectional type. Pump 60, when rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow A, acts to drain the tub 34 through the goose-neck outlet hose 64, water flowing in the direction of arrow B. When pump 60 is reversed outlet flow is prevented. When pump 60 is not running, outflow is prevented by the elevation of the outlet end 66 of the goose-neck hose 64-, which drain into a set tub 67.

Pump 62 when rotating in the direction of arrow C, is operative to draw water from tub 34, and deliver the same up pipe 68 to a nozzle 79 directed into a perforate filter pan 7 2 mounted on the underside of the cover lid 28. The consturction of the filter, indicated diagrammatically, is but one form of a filter, and the details thereof are shown in Olding application #706,616 filed Jan. 2, 1958, now Patent #2,97l,362 issued February 14, 1961. It will thus be seen that water received in the tub 34 is caused to circulate through the filter 72 into tub 32, from which it overflows back into the tub 34 whenever the pump 62 rotates in the direction of arrow C, at which time pump 66 rotates in an opposite direction from arrow A, to prevent outfiow of water from the tub 34. When the motor 42 rotates in a direction to drive pump 62 in the direction of arrow C, activation of the agitator is effected by the transmission 36. When the motor is reversed, and thus drives pump 6% in the direction of arrow A, the tub 34 is in the process of being drained, and the tub 32 is rotated to provide centrifugal extraction. At this time, pump 62 is rotated opposite to arrow C and acts to block recirculatory flow in pipe 63.

"When a wash cycle is commenced, water enters tub 32 through fresh water supply spout 46, overflowing through apertures 54 into the outer tub 34. When pressure switch 53 senses several inches of water in tub 34, the motor starts, rotating in a direction to agitate, and operate pump 62, rotation being in the direction of arrow C. When the wash period is completed, the motor operates in a reverse direction to rotate the tub 32 and centrifugally extract the water from the clothes, through-the overflow apertures 54, the outer wall of tub 32 being tapered slightly outwardly and upwardly.

'It is seen from the foregoing that after placing a load of laundry in the tub 32, the cycle of operations is commenced by commencing to fill the tub. During the fill period, the motor 42 is stationary. In the normal operation of the machine, as will appear more in detail hereinafter, nothing further is required of the attendant, following the initial actuation of a master switch which commences the filling of the tub 32.

if the operator desires to supply the laundry load with a bleaching agent, the operator, because of concentrated nature of bleaches, would have to wait until the tub 32 c was filled, and in inserting bleach, use care in not pouring the bleaching agent on floating clothes. *In fact, the usual instructions recomemnd diluting the bleach to reduce its full strength before introducing it into a wash ub. This requires attendance at the machine, at the end of the fill period. It also requires the attendant to use care in pouring the bleach into the tub 32 to avoid possible direct contact before dilution with floating laundry.

In order to render the machine automatic, and to relieve the attendant from further supervision after once starting the fill, when it is desired to use a bl ach agent, there is provided a bleaching agent conduit 32, having a funnellike inlet 84 disposed in one corner of the lid depression 25 of the decl; 22. The conduit ext nds over the rim 33 of the to 3-2, and downwardly, below the extraction and overflow apertures as at The conduit may be of molded rubber, a material able to withstand the bleach concentrate, and may have a head 33 with an annular groove 9%), adapted to receive the perimeter of a circular apertr e 92 in the deck depression The conduit is so disposed as to assure that the bleaching agent noes not enter the tub 32, except by subsequent operation of the apparatus effective to di ute its strength. Thus the conduit extends for a sutllcient length beyond the lowermost apertures in the tub 32 to assure that the agent cannot splash through tub apertures. The conduit assures that the agent will how to and rest on the bottom of the outer tub, where it must lie until sutliciently diluted strength, before it can be brought into contact with clothes within the tub 32, through subsequent automatic operation of the apparatus. While the invention is illustrated in relation to a vertical axis machine, it may be adapted to a horizontal or inclined axis machine, where the outer splash tub has a sufiicient volume below the hori- Zontal tangent pla .e of the inner tub, to assure of sufiici dilution, durrinit Ml filling of the outer tub.

Bearing in mind 1e operation of the apparatus, as set forth her nabove, it will be seen that, when the empty tub 3-2 is loaded with laundry, a proper amount of bleaching age -t may be introduced through the conduit opening 4, and caused to discharge into the outer tub 34-. Such quantity will not affect the pressure switch 5%, will lie on the bottom of the tub 34, while filling of the tub 32 commences. T e bleaching agent is thus, during the filling of the tub 32 to the overflow apertures 5d, isolated from the laundry. When overflow commences, the overflow of water from tub 32 into tub 34 mixes with the bleach in tub 34, diluting its strength. As overflow continues, the level in the outer tub increases, further diluting the bleach, until the level for actuation of the pressure switch 3 is reached.

At this point motor 42 is started, agitation commences, and pump 62 is driven in the direction of arrow C, to circulate the diluted bleach and overflow water into the tub 32. it can be seen that the laundry is thus protected from ever being subjected to a bleaching agent that is not adequately diluted. The dilution which commences in tub 34, before recirculation commences, is further increased immediately on its llow into the tub 32 through the filter pan '72 which spreads the discharge into tub 32. As wash period progresses, the bleach is completely and thoroughly mixed with the wash water, and recirculated therewith throughout the wash period.

Ref r ing LO the control circuit, there is shown power leads and ltlil, a revere ble motor 42 having a stator Winding 1%, a starting winding 19%, with capacitor lit a centrifugal switch 112 to open the starting winding circuit. A multiple cam switch timer having a master switch 1% in the power lead 1 .1 2, and a timer drive motor 114, actuating cam switches 316, 118, 129, or" the single contact type, and cam switches 122, 12.4 of the double contact type, which latter act to control and reverse the polarity of the stator motor winding res, and cam switches 126 and 123 of the double contact type to control the water supply is pro "ed. The latter switches permit the 1 the pre-selection of wash water temperature, either hot, cold or mixed, by the closing of either or both of manual switches 13% and 132, and the preselection of cold or mixed rinse water by the opening or closing of manual switch 134. Such a timer may be of the type shown in the patent to Hall, No. 2,313,064 issued March 9, 1943.

The pressure switch 563, when the tub 34 is empty cou pletes a circuit from power line 1G2 through lead 336 to cam switches 12% and 128 in circuit with manual switches 13%, 132 and 13 i and either or both hot or cold water valve solenoids and 59 to power line ltltl, as determined by the cam switches 126 and 128, and the manual switches 13h, l3 2 and 134.

in FEGURE 5 cams driven by the timer motor lid are shown diagrammatically to illustrate the sequence of operation of the cam switches El -1223 inclusive. The timer advances the cams stepwise at one minute intervals. The cam 117, for example, during the course of being ad vanced by the timer motor closes switch lilo, during the periods indicated by the solid bars. Cam 119 actuatcs switch 113 to close the same during the periods indicated by the solid bars. Cam 121 similarly closes switch 12% for the periods indicated by the solid bars. Cams 123 and 12S actuate switches 122 and 124 respectively closing the lower or upper contacts, during the periods represented by the lower or upper solid bars shown, the switches 12,2 and 124 being open during the intervals between bars. in like fashion cams l2? and 129 actuate switches 126 and 323, closing the lower contacts during the period represented by the lower bars, and the upper contacts during the period represented by the upper bars, the switches being open at other times.

When the cycle of operations is to commence, the master switch lll i is closed, and the proper switches 13%, 132 and l 4 selected for the water temperature desired during washing and subsequent rinsing. By reason of an overrunning clutch between the timer motor and timer driven cams, the timer cams may be manually advanced to any position within the initial 10 minute period indicated as the wash period, to provide a wash eriod of less than ten minutes as desired. Assuming one or the other or both of switches 13% and 3.32 are closed, a circuit through the pressure sensitive switch 5% and lead 136 is established through one or the other or both of the solenoids of water control valves 48 and 5%). At this time contacts 11% are open, and the timer motor Til-r4 is de-energized, and the cams remain stationary. \Vater enters tub 32 from ill spout d6. Tub 32 gradually fills, finally overflowing into outer tub 34. The overflow into outer tub 34 dilutes any bleach introduced through fill funnel 84, and when the level in outer tub reaches that required to actuate pressure switch 50, the circuit through lead 136 is brolren, the inlet valves 48 and 50 closed and a circuit established through timer motor 114 to power lead 1%, and the timer commences to periodically advance the cams 117429 inelusive.

Switches lit: and 12% being closed and the lower contact of switch 12-2 and upper contact of switch 124 being closed, starting winding 1&8 is energized, and motor 2-2 commences to operate in the direction to drive the agitator 5E, and to drive the pump 62 in the direction of arrow C. The starting circuit is opened by the centrifugal switch llZ as motor speed is attained. The overflow in tub 34 is delivered up pipe as to nozzle 7% into filter 72 which spreads the diluted agent over an area before it drains into ub Tub 32 continues to overflow during the washing, due to the continuous recirculation, and further mixirig of the bleach within the tub occurs during the continued agitation.

Before the end of the wash period the switch s 26 and 128 are opened, and at the ten minute interval, switches 116, 122 and 12 are opened, and motor 42 stops, ending agitation and the wash period. Just before the conclusion of the wash period, timer motor switch 113 is closed, to shunt the pressure switch Ell during the subsequent extraction and rinse period, during which the utcr tub 3 1 is being drained.

After the elapse or" one minute at the beginning of which the lower contacts of switch 124, are cldsed, and at the end of which upper contacts of switch 122 are closed to reverse the connections to the stator winding 1%, coritacts 116 and 129 are closed, energizing the motor starting winding 198 and stator winding 1%, to operate the motor 42 in the reverse direction, whereupon pump operates to empty the tub 34 and pump 62 ceases to cause recirculation, and the tub 32 is accelerated to centrifugally extract. After initial extraction has taken place, upper contacts of switch 126 and 128 are closed, to establish a circuit through the solenoid of valve 5t (and also the solenoid of valve 48 if switch 134 has been selected), it being understood that outer tub 3d is being continually drained, and pressure switch 59 is in the empty position completing the circuit through lead 136. Thus rinse Water is introduced into tub 132 during the final portion of the extraction period.

At the conclusion of the extraction and rinse period, contacts 115 are opened for a one minute interval as at time interval 1415, and the motor 42 stops. Inflow of rinse water into tub 32 continues, and the timer continues to advance through this interval, at the end of which contacts 118 are opened, stopping the advance of the timer, during the remainder of the rinse fill, until suihcient overflow into tub 34 has occurred to actuate pressure switch 50, which then re-energizes timer motor 114, and completes a circuit through switch 116, reestabiishing a power connection to motor 42, it being apparent that during the interval, the contacts of switches 122 and 124 were reversed in respect to the stator 1%, causing the motor to operate in the direction for agitation, and recirculation, during an agitated rinse period of two minutes. Following this period switches 116 and 122 are opened for the time period 17-48 during which the stator connections are reversed. When contacts 116, 122 and 129 reclose, extraction for the four minute interval 18-22 takes place, at the end of which, switch 116 opens, and a minute later, the circuit to the timer motor as well as switches 122 and 124 are opened.

From the foregoing it will appear that a bleaching agent may be introduced into the apparatus prior to commencing a wash cycle, through the simple expedient of the fill tube 82, without in any way altering the automatic operation or the apparatus. The bleach may be introduced in full strength without endangering the clothing since the apparatus assures that dilution will occur before the bleach can reach the tub 32. If it be desired to introduce a rinsing agent at the close of the extractor rinse cycle, provision at the start may be made by utilizing the apparatus shown in Oles, Ser. No. 808,413 filed April 23, 1959 now Patent No. 2, 979,935 issued April 16, 1961.

While a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without eparting from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic clothes washer having a bleaching agent dispenser, comprising an outer substantially imperforate splash tub having an upper rim, an inner wash tub disposed within the outer tub and having a wall provided with an annular row of overflow perforations near the top thereof through which wash water may circulate from the inner to the outer tub, said inner tub being otherwise substantially imperforate, and being located above the lowermost wall of said outer tub, a deck overlying the rim of said outer tub and having an access opening overlying said inner tub, means for introducing bleaching agent directly into said outer tub, said means comprising a duct disposed in part within the outer tub, and outside of said inner tub, and extending downwardly within said outer tub past terminating at a level below the perforations in the wall of said inner tub, said duct having an inlet connected to said deck and opening on the upper surface of said deck for the introduction of a bleaching agent into said duct, said duct providing a continuously open passageway communicating between said upper surface of said deck and a level below said perforations to conduct the bleaching agent into said outer tub past said perforations and prevent introduction of bleaching agent into said inner tub through said perforations, means for introducing wash water into said inner tub for washing, and for overflow therefrom through said perforations into said outer tub to dilute bleaching agent introduced into said outer tub, means responsive to the rise in the water level in said outer tub for commencing washing action within the inner tub, and means for recirculating the water between the outer tub and the inner tub, effective upon action of said water level responsive means in commencing said washing action.

2. An automatic clothes washer as recited in claim 1 wherein said deck has a rectangular offset recess for receiving a lid, and said duct extends from and through a corner portion of said recess.

3. An automatic clothes washer as recited in claim 1 wherein said deck has a rectangular offset depressed recess for receiving a lid, said access opening is circular and within said recess, and said duct extends from and through a corner portion of said recess, said corner portion overlying said upper rim of said outer tub with said duct extending radially outwardly and downwardly beyond said upper rim.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN AUTOMATIC CLOTHES WASHER HAVING A BLEACHING AGENT DISPENSER, COMPRISING AN OUTER SUBSTANTIALLY IMPERFORATE SPLASH TUB HAVING AN UPPER RIM, AN INNER WASH TUB DISPOSED WITHIN THE OUTER TUB AND HAVING A WALL PROVIDED WITH AN ANNULAR ROW OF OVERFLOW PERFORATIONS NEAR THE TOP THEREOF THROUGH WHICH WASH WATER MAY CIRCULATE FROM THE INNER TO THE OUTER TUB, SAID INNER TUB BEING OTHERWISE SUBSTANTIALLY IMPERFORATE, AND BEING LOCATED ABOVE THE LOWERMOST WALL OF SAID OUTER TUB, A DECK OVERLYING THE RIM OF SAID OUTER TUB AND HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING OVERLYING SAID INNER TUB, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING BLEACHING AGENT DIRECTLY INTO SAID OUTER TUB, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A DUCT DISPOSED IN PART WITHIN THE OUTER TUB, AND OUTSIDE OF SAID INNER TUB, AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY WITHIN SAID OUTER TUB PAST AND TERMINATING AT A LEVEL BELOW THE PERFORATIONS IN THE WALL OF SAID INNER TUB, SAID DUCT HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED TO SAID DECK AND OPENING ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID DECK FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A BLEACHING AGENT INTO SAID DUCT, SAID DUCT PROVIDING A CONTINUOUSLY OPEN PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID DECK AND A LEVEL BELOW SAID PERFORATIONS TO CONDUCT THE BLEACHING AGENT INTO SAID OUTER TUB PAST SAID PERFORATIONS AND PREVENT INTRODUCTION OF BLEACHING AGENT INTO SAID INNER TUB THROUGH SAID PERFORATIONS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING WASH WATER INTO SAID INNER TUB FOR WASHING, AND FOR OVERFLOW THEREFROM THROUGH SAID PERFORATIONS INTO SAID OUTER TUB TO DILUTE BLEACHING AGENT INTRODUCED INTO SAID OUTER TUB, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE RISE IN THE WATER LEVEL IN SAID OUTER TUB FOR COMMENCING WASHING ACTION WITHIN THE INNER TUB, AND MEANS FOR RECIRCULATING THE WATER BETWEEN THE OUTER TUB AND THE INNER TUB, EFFECTIVE UPON ACTION OF SAID WATER LEVEL RESPONSIVE MEANS IN COMMENCING SAID WASHING ACTION. 